Former chief deputy appointed Sangamon County Circuit Clerk

A former chief deputy for the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office will be the county's new circuit clerk come Oct. 1, after the current head steps away to take on a role with a non-profit group.

Joe Roesch, who worked for more than 20 years at the sheriff's office, including a four-year stint as chief deputy under Wes Barr, was confirmed as the new circuit clerk after the Sangamon County Board approved his nomination Tuesday. Roesch is currently serving as an attorney specializing in labor and employment law with Stratton, Moran, Reichert, Sronce and Appleton in Springfield, with a wide range of public and private employers under his purview.

He replaces Paul Palazzolo, who will resign on Oct. 1 after serving for eight years in the role in order to serve as the executive director of Kiwanis International. Palazzolo was appointed in 2015 after the retirement of Tony Libri, who served for 19 years in the role. Roesch will assume the role of circuit clerk that same day and will be up for election in November 2024.

Roesch has a long history with the county, having first served as an Assistant State's Attorney before joining the sheriff's office in 1995 as a deputy, working there for 23 years and rising the ranks from deputy to chief of operations to head of the detective bureau before being named chief deputy in 2014 when Barr became sheriff. He served for all four years of Barr's term, leaving in 2018.

Roesch received his bachelor's degrees in history and education from Millikin University in Decatur, getting his law degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale.

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Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter said in a statement that Roesch would combine skills learned as attorney, prosecutor and law enforcement officer to help effectively lead the circuit clerk's office.

"Joe Roesch’s proven dedication to our community during his career in the Sheriff's Office, combined with his background as a lawyer and prosecutor, equip him with the expertise and leadership needed to manage the Circuit Clerk’s office effectively," Van Meter said. "The County Board is excited to work with Joe to further improve the services and public accessibility of the Circuit Clerk’s office."

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Former Sangamon County Chief Deputy named Circuit Clerk